When I started writing The Key of Ornoss it became clear early on that much of the story was set in this amazing other world, Sanquous, the eternal plain. As the tale unfolded and Cal began her journey across this strange and wonderful land, I could picture the scenes and landscapes that she encountered. Picking up a pencil I started to sketch a map for the six kingdoms, their borders and features, and hints of what might lie beyond.
Sanquous is certainly nothing like Earth (or Tarquis as the Sanquouns call it). Apart from it being flat rather than a globe, the energy and life cycles, the ecology and climate are tied up with the vast and mysterious phenomenon known as the Vorshaan.
Providing a fixed point of orientation, the Vorshaan is the basis for all directions across Sanquous, and Cal quickly begins to associate this feature with North on Earth. Not that you can quite tell that from the map itself. It’s a poor copy of Phelia’s precious map in the book, which she in turn copied under to skilful direction of Pogrol.
Printed copies of the map may turn up as a competition prize or giveaway at some point but for now the detail included here will give you some idea of the country Cal travels across in the first part of her journey. If you want to know what happens to her along the way, well, it’s all in the book!
AJ White writes 